Apparatus for treating pipe



31,194. A. PERRAULT ETAL 23711580 APPARATUS FOR TREATING PIPES sSheets-Sheet 1 Filed D80. 17, 1943 A Per/'0 0/1;

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.APPARATUS FOR TREATING PIPES Filed Dec. 17, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet s 23 4cswig/era:

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- the supporting rollers for the Patented May 31, 1 949 UNITED STATES.PATENT OFFICE Ainslie Perrault and Lewis Perrault, Tulsa, Okla.

Application December 1'I, 1943, Serial No. 514,722

. I v 1 I This invention relates to the treatment of pipes and moreparticularly to an apparatus for use in treating pipe lines such as areplaced underground and used for the transportation of various fluids,including petroleum and petroleum products.

One 'of the objects of the invention is to provide means for cleaningthe exterior of pipes and then applying a protective coating to thesame.

Another object is to supply an apparatus which 8 Cla lms. (Cl. 154-41)willprogressively heat a pipe lengthwise thereof so as to loosen scaleor the like; then remove the scale; and subsequently apply a coating orcovering including a thermo-plastic which will be rendered tacky by heatradiating from the pipe.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a simple, practicalapparatus, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

, more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of ou paratus.

Fig. 2 i an end elevation, partly in vertical transverse section, thesection being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is afragmentary elevation of a detail illustrating one of thepipe cleaning brushes and I improved ap the yieldingmeans for urging ittoward the pipe.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a detail of one of rotatable ring of themachine. 4

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the burners used in heating the pipe,and showing the fuel mixers and cooling means for the burners,

Fig. 6 isa top plan view of the burner unit and its water cooled"supporting rollers.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the burner unit taken on the line 1-| ofFig.5.

Referring to the drawings, 8 designates a carriage frame supporting aprime mover 9, such as an internal combustion enginawhich through aconventional gear reducer indicated at "I, operates a drive shaft ll,journaled on the frame. The shaft, through the medium of a manuallycontrolled clutch l2, actuates a driven shaft I 3; both shafts beingpreferably in alignment and extending lengthwise of the frame.

About midway the length of the frame, bracki as to evenly distribute thegaseous mixture.

etsv I 4. only one of which isillustrated, depend from the frame and areconnected to ahorizontal rotatable shaft 15, to. which is fixed tractionwheels or disks l6 adapted to travel along a pipe line indicated at IT.The traction Wheels may be driven by any suitable means, for example, abeveled gear l8 rigid with the shaft, may mesh a similar gear I 8,secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 20. The latter is providedat its upper end with a beveled gear 2| meshing with a similar gear 22fixed to thedriven shaft 13.

The forward end of the frame of the machine is provided with a dependingbracket 23 which supports, by means of a horizontal axle 24, a plate .25adapted to rock about the axle 24 to accommodate inclined portions ofthe pipe line. The plate is-swiveled as indicated at 26 to the centralportion of a disk 21 adapted to turnabout a vertical axis to allow theburner unit, now about to be described, to follow curvatures in the pipeline.

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the disk 21 supports a bracket 28 whichin turn supports a pair of semi-circular burners 29, having tips 30adapted to diiject the flame against the pipe l1. As the two burnersform .a ring, it is obviou that the flame will be directed againstthe'pipe from all radii of the circle. Each burner is supplied with agaseous mixture from a mixer ll by means of a pipe 32 that is split intobranches 33, connected respectively at'spacedpoints to the'burner 29 soEach mixer 3| is provided with a valve controlled pipe 34 for'theintroduction of acetylene or the like, and another valve controlled pipe35 for the introduction of oxygen. The acetylene and oxygen maybereceived from tanks, not shown, carried by a truck which will proceedalong the pipe line as the apparatus progresses.

As the flame from the burners will create high temperatures, we preferto provide the burners shafts 4|. each connected to a pair of beveleddisks 42, adapted to travel along'on top of the pipe line, asv indicatedin Fig. 5. As the disks have to travel over the heated portion of thepipe in the vicinity of the burners, they may, also, be of hollowconstruction (Figs. 5 and 6) so that water or the like may travel froman inlet pipe 43,

through one of the hollow shafts and its disks, thence through a.connection pipe 44, and finally through the other hollow shaft and itsdisks bewater for this purpose may be circulated from a 4 pump andradiator disposed on a sled or similar conveyance travelling adjacent tothe pipe treating machine.

For balancing purposes, we may arrange brackets 48 (only one of which isshown) at the end of the apparatus where the burners are located. andsuch brackets may be secured to the water jacket. The brackets support ahorizontal shaft 41 adapted to extend beneath the pipe line, asindicated in Fig. 1, the shaft being journaled in bearings 48 at thelower ends of the vertically disposed threaded rods 49, which extendthrough the brackets, as indicated at 50. Each of the threaded rods issurrounded by upper and lower springs 5|, 52, the tension of which isadjusted by a nut 53 on the threaded rod. A pair of disks 54 are securedto the shaft 41 and are adapted to travel along the bottom of the pipeline.

The opposite end of the frame 8 is fixed to a substantially circularsupport plate 55 (Fig. 2) provided with a series of circumferentiallyarranged apertures 56, one of which is indicated in Fig. 4. Eachaperture is adapted to receive a bolt 51 having an eccentric body 58 onwhich is journaled a disk or roller 59. Five of such rollers areillustrated, and it may be seen from Fig.

1 that they extend into a circumferential groove 60 of a gear wheel GIand support the latter. By turning the bolts 51 about their axes, it isobvious that the wheel 6| may be shifted transversely or vertically,relatively to the axis of the pipe line;

The wheel is provided at opposite sides of the groove 60 with gearteeth. meshing with a gear 63 (Fig. 2) rotatable on a stud shaft 64fixed to the ring 55. The gear is driven by a gear 55 fixed to thedriven shaft l3 which extends through the ring and is journaled thereinas indicated at 66 (Figfl).

A series of stiff brushes 51 (preferably wire) are used to clean scaleor the like from the pipe after the pipe has been heated, and each ofthese brushes, as best shown in Fig. 3, is secured to one end of an arm68, the opposite end being pivotally secured at 69 to the rotatablewheel Bl. Each brush is'provided with a threaded rod 10 extendingthrough an abutment 1| fixed to the wheel. There is a spring 12 arrangedon each rod between a nut 13 and the abutment, used in adjustably urgingthe brush toward the pipe line.

After a. portion of the pipe line has been heated and then cleaned bythe brushes, the heat impounded in the pipe is employed in applying aprotecting covering or coating to the pipe. The heat can be used inrendering any suitable thermo-plastic material tacky and thethermo-plastic may be applied to the pipe separately or simultaneouslywith a wrapper of felt or the like. For example, as indicated in Fig. 1,rolls I4 of felt thermo-plastio material tacky, also in many instanceseliminates the (use of a coating primer necessary in the application ofcoating on a cold pipe.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of the apparatusmay be readily understood, but in brief, it will be observed that theengine 9 drives the apparatus along the pipe line in the direction'ofthe arrow, indicated at F in Fig. 1, and at the same time causes therotation of the wheel BI and the parts which it carries. As the machineprogresses along the pipe line, the flame issuing from the burners willheat the pipe and loosen any scale or the like, as well as removemoisture. Then the brushes will come into play and thoroughly clean theheated pipe before the thermo-plastic and wrapping material are applied,either singly or together.

It is manifest that a sand blast or the like could be substituted forthe wire brushes, and other coating material such as bitumen or the likemay be applied by means of a coating shoe prior to wrapping the pipewith felt, paper, etc;

While we have disclosed what we now consider to be a preferredembodiment of the apparatus, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that changes may be made in the details of each without departingfrom the spirit of'the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a. carriage arranged to travelupon a pipe line, a heating unit movable with the carriage and providingheat tothe pipe from substantially all radii thereof for removal ofmoisture and loosening of scale, a rotatable pipe cleaning unit movablewith the carriage and arranged toremove scale from the hot pipe, and awrapping unit movable with the carriage and rotatable about the pipesimultaneous with the cleaning unit, said wrapping unit including rollsof thermoplastic wrapping material, said heating unit and wrapping unitso constructed and arranged to utilize the heat impounded in the pipe tocause the wrapping material to adhere to the pipe.

2. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a carriage supported frame, aheating unit operatively connected to the frame and comprisingsubstantially circular burner means adapted to surround the pipe and todirect flame against the pipe from substantially all radii thereof, awrapping unit operatively connected to the frame and including spoolsofthermoplastic wrapping'material, and means for moving the spools in acircular path around the pipe and arranged to utilize the heat impoundedin the pipe for rendertape having a thermo-plastic layer 15 at one sidethereof may be used for the purpose. If used, each roll may be arrangedon a spool I5 rotatable about an axle 18, having a fork l9 projectingfrom one end thereof. The fork is adiustably secured by any suitablemeans, indicated at 80, to a rigid pin 8| fixed to the wheel 6|.Obviously, when the wheel rotates and the carriage is traveling alongthe pipe line, the tape will be unwrapped from the spools and wrappedabout the pipe and at such time, the heat in the pipe will render thethermo-plastic material tacky so that the felt or its equivalent willstick to the cleaned pipe.

ing the material tacky and causing adhesion thereto, and a cleaning unitoperatively connected to the frameand arranged between the heating unitand the wrapping unit.

3. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a supporting means arranged totravel upon a pipe line, heating means carried by the supporting meansand comprising a substantially circular burner arranged to substantiallysurround the pipe line, wrapping means supported by the sup-- portingmeans and arranged-to be rotated about the pipe, said wrapping meansincluding 'rolls of thermoplastic wrapping material utilizing the heatimpounded in the pipe by the burner means to render the material in 1such a condition to cause adhesion to the pipe, and means for cleaningthe pipe prior to the wrapping thereof.

The heat of the pipe in addition to rendering any 4. A pipe treatingapparatus comprising a carriage arranged to be moved upon a line of pipewhile the latter is held against endwise movement, 8. burner unitsuported by the carriage and including means for directing the flameagainst the exterior of the pipe from. substantially all radii thereof,wrapping means supported by the carriage arranged to be rotated aboutthe pipe, said wrapping means also arranged posterior to the burner unitand including wrapping rolls of thermoplastic material for wrappingabout the pipe while utilizing heat impounded in the pipe to render thethermoplastic material tacky to cause adhesion thereof to the pipe,brushes supported by the carriage and arranged between the burner unitand the wrapping means, and means for rotating the brushes about thepipe while they are in contact therewith.

5. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a carriage supported framearranged to travel upon a pipe line, a, heating unit carried by theframe and comprising substantially circular burner means adapted tosubstantially surround the pipe and direct flame thereagainst, awrapping unit carried by the frame and including spools of thermoplasticwrapping material, said burner means and wrapping unit being soconstructed and arranged to utilize the heat impounded in the pipe tocause adhesion of the wrapping material to the pipe, and a cleaning unitcarried by the frame and arranged between the heating unit and thewrapping unit, said cleaning unit comprising brushes, means for movingthe brushes in a substantially circular path, and means for urging saidbrushes toward the axis of the pipe.

6. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a carriage supported framearranged to travel upon a pipe line, a heating unit carried by the frameand comprising substantially circular burner means arranged tosubstantially surround the pipe line and direct flame against the pipefrom substantially all radii thereof, a wrapping means supported by thecarriage and including rolls of thermoplastic material arranged to berotated about the pipe, said wrapping means utilizing the heat impoundedin the pipe by the burner means to render the material in such acondition to adhere to the pipe, and means for cleaning the pipe priorto the wrapping thereof.

'7. A pipe treating apparatus comprising a supporting frame arranged totravel upon a pipe line, a heating unit carried by the frame andcomprising substantially circular burner means arranged to substantiallysurround the pipe and direct flame against the pipe from substantially 6all radii thereof, a wrapping means supported by the carriage androtating around the pipe, said wrapping means including rolls ofthermoplastic wrapping material utilizing the heat impounded in the pipefor rendering the wrapping material in such a condition to causeadhesion thereof to the pipe. 8. A pipe treating apparatus comprising acarriage supported frame arranged to travel upon a pipe line, a heatingunit carried by the frame and comprising substantially circular burnermeans arranged to substantially surround the pipe line and direct flameagainst the pipe from substantially all radii thereof, a wrapping meanssupported by the carriage and including rolls of REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

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